Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[angidee]

I have a day counting question...
I have two broody hens sitting on eggs, one on day 21 & one on 18 by my count.
But here's why I could be off... I have never hatched eggs before, let alone had a broody hen, so here's what happend
Broody #1 was acting broody so I gave her a fertile egg, the next day she was still on the egg so I gave her two more, the next day still broody so 2 more. Then broody #2 followed suit so I stuck a couple under her, then 2 more the next day and two more the next day.
I do know this is NOT how to do this. Honestly, at the time, I really wasn't thinking it would amount to the entire process. It was more of a 'wonder if they're broody...wonder if they'll hatch an egg'.
Soooo....I don't know when to start the count. Today was day 21 of the first egg, but since they are staggered over several days, i don't know what to expect.
When do you think I ought to start day counting for each? The last day I gave them eggs? Or will the hatching be staggered also?

 

[OrpingtonManor]

Your broody hens will decide. They will probably decide that the first eggs to hatch are the only ones that count. I think anything that hatches in the first day after the first one hatches will probably be okay. I would bet they will abandon all the later eggs. They will have live chicks to tend to, and that will be that.

 

[SJensen]

It's so interesting to read about everyone's experiences here.

We have 4 suburban chickens and were happy to have our "Jersey Giant mix" go broody this year. Yesterday we bought 6 Black Copper Maran eggs for her to sit on -- details are posted on my chicken blog (link below.)

Good luck to everyone else too!

 

[annaraven]

Well, my Buff Orpington, named Buffy (as seems to be the usual name for BOs) has gone broody. I have been finding buff colored feathers in the nest recently and today, she spent the entire day in the nest and this evening, when I took her out to roost, she hopped down and went back into the nest. I took her out to eat and drink, she did, but when I went back in, she was on the nest again - same nest she'd been on all day.

So - I'm getting some eggs for her (we have no roo) and letting her try hatching them. This'll be our first time with a broody (and her first time too) so

Thank you for this thread!

 

[krcote]

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Good luck! It is so exciting!

 

[Sunny Side Up]

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Yes, most likely. The hens seem to stay on the nest about 24-36 hours after the first egg pips before taking everyone for their first outing. I've seen hens eating the membranes from the hatched eggs for nourishment during that time. The chicks of course are fine during that time having absorbed the yolk right before hatching, they keep busy under Mom's wings playing video games and waiting for their nestmates to hatch.

I've never had a hen with a staggered hatch before so I don't know if she would actually leave the nest after that time if there were still chicks hatching or lying wet in the nest.

But I'm going to try to figure something out because right now I have a hen with eggs that were started on different days. Biscuit started brooding in the nest box of her pen, and her flock mates made a few contributions to her clutch after she began but before I moved her. Usually I will swap a broody hen's eggs once I've moved her, but I'm hoping this time that the original eggs are Biscuit's own and I can get at least one more hen like her. This year Biscuit's sister Cookie was killed by a bobcat, and they have been fantastic broody Mamas. Previously Biscuit has set on many clutches of chicken eggs, duck eggs, an experimental clutch of 3 duck eggs followed a week later by 3 chicken eggs (they all hatched on the same day and she took care of this mixed family together), and last year hatched a goose egg and adopted another newborn gosling the next day.

I'm going to start a separate thread on tending staggered hatches with a broody hen, but my plan now is to take the hatched chicks as they dry and brood them until all the eggs have hatched, then return everyone to Biscuit to tend.

 

[Pharm Girl]

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We have a Buffy the BO too. We're all so creative aren't we?!

 

[angidee]

Thanks for the info. I will hope for the best then and do it correctly next time!

 

[annaraven]

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We have a Buffy the BO too. We're all so creative aren't we?!

I think it's a requirement.

Well - Buffy the egglayer is now officially Buffy the Broody. Feathers in the nesting box. Even a big broody poop by the feeder. So now I need to set up the dog cage in the coop with a nice nest for her to set on. One of our other girls (Stella, the Sicilian Buttercup) sat almost on top of Buffy to lay her egg this morning. (Of course, the egg is no longer visible. I'll retrieve it later today.) Another woman on one of my chicken lists is going to bring eggs over for Buffy to hatch later this week! Woot!

 

[annaraven]

It was funny - Buffy RAN out of the coop to join the girls in their morning treat. She hoovered up the treats, tackling other girls in her way, and making this weird noise. Then she ran over to the feeder, and hoovered up some crumbles. Then she fluffed herself up and preened and then walked back, clucking softly all the way, to the nest and hopped up and settled herself down...